Attachment assembly for body surfing

ABSTRACT

An attachment assembly including a connector secured to a garment for coupling to a device which is adapted to be worn by a wearer over the garment, such as for body surfing.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of International Application PCT/AU2005/000235 filed on Feb. 23, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a body surfing device and attachment assembly for securing the device to a wearer.

2. Description of the Related Art

It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,057 to provide a harness for securing a body surfing board to a wearer. The harness includes a complicated construction of straps and buckles.

The present invention seeks to provide alternative attachment for securing a body board relative to the wearer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention, there is provided an attachment assembly including a connector integrated with a garment for releasably coupling to a device which is adapted to be worn by a wearer over the garment such as for body surfing.

Preferably, the connector is positioned adjacent a neck portion of the garment. Preferably, the connector is fixed permanently to the garment by stitching.

Preferably, the connector includes a first fastening portion arranged to engage with the device. The first fastening portion includes spigots for receipt in associated recesses formed in the device. Alternatively, the fastening portion includes a tongue which is arranged to loop through a groove in the device.

Preferably, the connector further includes a closure portion for locking the first fastening portion relative to the device. Preferably, the closure portion is a spring-loaded clamp. Alternatively, the closure portion is a flap arranged to overlay and engage the fastening portion.

Preferably, the assembly further includes a strap secured to the device for the purpose of passing about a waist of the wearer.

Preferably, the attachment assembly includes the device, which is substantially rigid and is provided with a contoured surface for enhanced fluid flow and maneuverability.

Preferably, the device is interchangeable to allow for use of devices with different contoured surfaces and handling properties.

Preferably, the garment is formed of an elastic material for the purpose of accommodating limited movement of the device relative to a wearer of the garment.

In another aspect, there is provided a device for use in the above assembly.

In another aspect, there is provided a garment with a connector, for use in the above assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the attachment assembly on a wearer;

FIG. 2 is a partial-perspective view of a connector, as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative device;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the device in use;

FIG. 5 is a partial-perspective view of an alternative form of attachment assembly fitted to a garment;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating coupling of a device and connector of the assembly of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial-perspective view of the device and connector coupled together; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the device shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 and 2, an attachment assembly 1 is shown fitted to a wearer 2. The assembly 1 includes a connector 3 which is secured to a garment 4 and coupled to a body surfing device 5. The connector 3 is located adjacent a neck portion 6 of the garment 4 and is formed of a first fastening portion 7 having two spigots 8 which are received in corresponding recesses 9 formed in a front end 10 of the device 5. The connector 3 also includes a closure portion 11 in the form of a spring-loaded clamp 12 which securely captures the device 5 to the connector 3.

The connector 3 also includes a substantially rigid panel 12 that may be secured to the garment by suitable stitching and/or adhesive.

The assembly 1 is provided with a waist strap 14 which is attached to the device 5 and arranged to be passed around a waist 15 of the wearer 2 and fastened in place using a clip 16.

In order to locate the device 5 relative to the wearer 2, the spring-loaded clamp 12 is firstly opened, as shown in FIG. 2, and the front end 10 device 5 simply fed up into the connector 3 so that the spigots 8 engage in the associated recesses 9, after which the clamp 12 is released to lock the device 5 and connector 3 together. The strap 14 is then secured around the wearer's waist 15 as required.

As can be appreciated, the attachment assembly 1 allows for rapid interengagement of the device 5 with a garment 4 of the wearer 2. Similarly, the device 5 may be readily removed and, if required, replaced with an alternative device 16, such as shown in FIG. 3, which includes a modified contoured surface 17 and fins 18 for different handling properties.

Since the connector 3 is provided adjacent a neck portion 6 of the wearer 2, the front end 10 of the device 5 is held out of a wave 20 when the wearer 2 is body surfing, as illustrated in FIG. 4, such that only limited drag is placed on the wearer's garment 4. Nevertheless, the garment is preferably formed of a material with elastic properties at least around the neck portion 6 to accommodate some limited movement between the device 5 and the garment 4. An ideal material for that purpose could be a known form of SPF sun-top material or wetsuit material. A garment formed of such a material could continue to be worn, after disengagement of the device 5 for simple swimming or other beach activities, without exposing the wearer to potential harmful UV radiation. The fairly small dimensions of the connector 1 would not impede or restrict movement of a wearer 2 in the event the device 5 was removed.

It should be appreciated that the device need not necessarily be a body surfing device and it may instead be in the form of body armor or the like. Further, the specific construction of the connector with spigots 8 and a hinged clamp 12, may be modified, as required, by substituting those features with an equivalent attachment mechanism to allow for quick and easy connection between the device 5 and connector 3, such as by way of secure snap-fit engagement or the like.

A modified assembly 30 is shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, where like reference numerals to those used in FIGS. 1 to 4 are used to denote like parts.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, the assembly 30 includes a connector 3 carried on a panel 12 which is integrated with a garment 4 by being stitched thereto, adjacent a neck portion 6. The connector 3 has a fastening portion 7 in the form of a tongue 31 which is secured to the panel 12 at one end 32, by stitching. The other end 33 of the fastening portion 7 is captured by a closure portion 11, in the form of two double-layered flaps 34 which are in turn secured to the panel along a fixing edge 36 by stitching.

The inner surfaces of the flaps 34 and the end 33 of the tongue 31 are preferably formed of complimentary hook and loop type fastening material so that the closure portion 11 and fastening portion 7 can overlay each other in a low profile configuration, to minimize any aesthetic impact of the connector relative to the garment 4, whilst ensuring reliable capture of the fastening portion 7.

Referring now to FIG. 6, in order to attach a device 35 to the assembly 30, the flaps 34 are firstly lifted away from engagement with the end 33 of the tongue 31. The tongue 31 is passed through a groove 36, which separates a neck 37 from a body 38 of the device 35 until the device 35 is in close proximity to the end 32 of the tongue 31. The tongue 31 is then looped over the neck 37 of the device 35 and secured in place by again overlaying the flaps 34 with the free end 33 of the tongue 31, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

For completeness, a full perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the device 35 is shown in FIG. 8. As with the device 5 of FIG. 3, a contoured surface 17 and fins 18 are provided. However, in this instance the device includes the above described groove 36 instead of recesses 9. The neck 37 is also rebated relative to the body 38 so as to define a recess 39 to accommodate the above closure portion 11 and fastening portion 13, when secured in place. As a result, the profile of the attachment assembly 30, together with the device 35, is kept to a minimal height which is both aesthetically pleasing and advantageous for minimizing potential drag in the water when the assembly 30 is in use.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia. 

1. An attachment assembly including a connector integrated with a garment for releasably coupling to a device which is adapted to be worn by a wearer over the garment, such as for body surfing.
 2. An attachment assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector is positioned adjacent a neck portion of the garment.
 3. An attachment assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector is fixed permanently to the garment by stitching.
 4. An attachment assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fastening portion is arranged to engage with the device.
 5. An attachment assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fastening portion includes spigots for receipt in associated recesses formed in the device.
 6. An attachment assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fastening portion includes a tongue which is arranged to loop through a groove in the device.
 7. An attachment assembly as claimed in claim 4, further including a closure portion for locking the first fastener portion relative to the device.
 8. An attachment assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein, the closure portion is a spring-loaded clamp.
 9. An attachment assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the closure portion is a flap arranged to overlay and engage the fastening portion.
 10. An attachment assembly as claimed in claim 1, further including a strap secured to the device for the purpose of passing about a waist of the wearer.
 11. An assembly comprising: a garment; a connector integrated with the garment for releasably coupling to a body surfing device which is adapted to be worn by a wearer over the garment; a body surfing device positioned over the garment and coupled to the connector.
 12. An assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the device is interchangeable to allow for use of devices with different contoured surfaces and handling properties.
 13. An assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the connector includes a reinforced panel sewn onto the garment.
 14. An assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the garment is formed of an elastic material for the purpose of accommodating limited movement of the device relative to a wearer of the garment.
 15. A device for use in the assembly as claimed in claim
 11. 16. A device as claimed in claim 15, including a groove through which the fastening portion of the connector passes to secure the device to the garment.
 17. A device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the groove separates a neck and a body of the device.
 18. A device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the neck is rebated relative to the body of the device to accommodate the fastening portion when the device is coupled to the garment.
 19. A garment with an integrated connector for use in the assembly as claimed in claim
 11. 